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Saturday, July 12, 2025

Alberta seeks to relinquish coronavirus emergency powers

By
True North Wire
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The Alberta UCP government has pledged to give up the emergency powers it adopted in spring during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“We’re going to be removing those powers that ministers have during a public health emergency and leaving it for legislation to be amended by the legislature as it should be,” said Health Minister Tyler Shandro. 

The exact timing of when this will happen is up in the air as the government awaits Select Special Public Health Act Review Committee recommendations.

Bill 10, which gave cabinet ministers powers to make laws without legislative approval, was, at the time, defended by Premier Jason Kenney as a way to continue governing should the legislature not be able to meet during the pandemic. 

“We saw that we can still keep the legislature open and there’s no reason why a legislature should have that power taken away from them, even during a public health emergency,” Shandro said.

“So, you know, there’s no point in having a power in legislation if we have no intention of using it.” 

Meanwhile, other provincial governments, such as Ontario’s, have turned the dial up on government coronavirus powers.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently announced new restrictions on gathering limits and restaurants. In July, Ford stated that his government will extend emergency powers first invoked on Mar. 17 until 2021. 

“That’s something that is totally misunderstood. We’re doing it to help the people. I don’t want a power grab. I’m just not into big government, I’m just not. But we have to do it,” Ford said then.

Canadians facing food shortages grew 39% during pandemic

By
True North Wire
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The number of Canadians who struggled to put food on the table skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic according to the non-profit Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC).

According to their recent report, the CFCC says the number of Canadians facing food shortages grew 39% in the first two months of the pandemic, now affecting 1 in 7 Canadians.

“More and more Canadians are relying on an increasingly precarious labour market and low-wage jobs and a restrictive and inadequate Employment Insurance program when they get laid off,” they wrote. 

“The cost of housing, child care, prescriptions and food is increasing sharply. More and more people are living alone and shouldering these costs on one income.”

Experts have recently determined that government lockdowns are not only leaving many Canadians unemployed, but also lead to an increase in food prices across Canada.

In September, Dalhousie University’s Agri-food Analytics Lab determined that Canadian grocery bills increased by 4% this year, with price hikes attributed to the increased costs for businesses to operate during coronavirus restrictions.

Of those surveyed by the CFCC, 81% said food shortage has taken a toll on their physical health, with 79% it has taken a toll on their mental health.

While many Canadians struggle with putting food on the table, members of the agriculture community have said the pandemic has put food security in jeopardy for the whole country.

In the summer, the Grain Farmers of Ontario reported that many farms will not survive the pandemic without support from the federal government.

“We are at a real breaking point. The federal government continues to ask farmers to bear all of the risk associated with securing Canada’s food system and takes no action to partner with us in this risk,” Chair Markus Haerle said.

Unlike the United States, Canada has provided little support to farmers during the pandemic.

“Our farmer-members will lose money on every acre of corn, with no way to regain those losses, while our U.S. counterparts will be able to survive these losses thanks to support from their government,” Haerle said.

Without Canadian farmers, consumers will be more dependent on the United States and China to meet their needs. 

Ottawa medical officer of health says no trick-or-treating this year

By
True North Wire
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Ottawa medical officer of health Vera Etches is urging kids not to go trick-or-treating this Halloween and to stay indoors instead. 

“Ottawa has the highest rate of COVID in Ontario, we have to do things differently here and it does mean celebrating in new ways,” said Etches.

Alternatives to traditional Halloween celebrations such as parties are being suggested. According to Etches, parents should organize Easter egg-like hunts for candy within their own households or on their properties instead. 

Meanwhile, federal Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam has said that trick-or-treating is fine this year as long as participants keep public health measures in mind. 

Ottawa has seen a surge of coronavirus cases in recent weeks. On Wednesday, the surge showed some signs of decline after the city reported only 45 new cases.  

Other provinces, like British Columbia, have also okayed the tradition as long as citizens stay vigilant. 

BC’s Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has released coronavirus Halloween guidelines to be followed this October 30th. 

Among the guidelines include recommendations to incorporate non-medical masks or face coverings into costumes, to skip Halloween parties. BCCDC is also asking trick-or-treaters to stick to local neighbourhoods and to stick to groups of six. 

Meanwhile, those hoping to hand out candy are being asked to find alternative methods to do so and to hand out the treats outdoors instead of within their homes. 

Chinese ambassador warns Canada against granting Hongkongers asylum status

By
True North
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Chinese ambassador Cong Peiwu has chastised Canada for accepting Hong Kong democracy activists as asylum seekers, warning that the decision may endanger Canadian citizens and businesses in the territory.

At a press conference on Thursday, Cong told reporters that Hong Kong democracy activists are “violent criminals” and that Canada should not get involved in Chinese affairs. 

“We strongly urge the Canadian side not (to) grant so-called political asylum to those violent criminals in Hong Kong because it is the interference in China’s domestic affairs. And certainly, it will embolden those violent criminals,” he said.

The Chinese government has recently introduced new national security laws that have radically changed the justice system in Hong Kong.

Under these new laws, China’s dictatorship will now have the power to bring Hongkongers to the mainland for trial despite Hong Kong’s autonomy.

The Canadian government has recently accepted multiple asylum claims from Hongkongers involved in protests against the new laws.

One couple received refugee status after the federal government determined they meet the definition of a refugee “due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, political opinion.”

According to Cong, offering asylum status to Hongkongers who oppose China’s communist hegemony over the territory only increases tension in the area. 

“So, if the Canadian side really cares about the stability and the prosperity in Hong Kong, and really cares about the good health and safety of those 300,000 Canadian passport-holders in Hong Kong, and the large number of Canadian companies operating in Hong Kong SAR, you should support those efforts to fight violent crimes.” 

Cong also used his platform to deny that the arrests of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were retribution for Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
Earlier this week, a senior Chinese official denied that the two Michaels were being arbitrarily detained, vaguely saying the two men are “suspected of engaging in activities that endanger China’s national security.”

BC schools were asked by China-based org to report on politics, local governments

By
True North Wire
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Several BC schools that run a Chinese government-affiliated program were asked to report to Chinese officials assessments on local politics and community leaders. 

Coquitlam-area schools that operate controversial Confucius Institute programs are implicated in the controversy, according to documents obtained by The Globe and Mail.

The Confucius Institute, which critics accuse of being an international front organization for the Chinese Communist Party, runs after-school and bilingual programs at Walton Elementary School, Scott Creek Middle School and five local high schools.

Numerous schools across Canada have cut ties or banned the group from operating entirely due to its suspected ties with Beijing. 

Participation in the programs required detailed reports to be sent to Confucius Institute administrators in China on attitudes among local governments and other information. 

According to school district spokesperson Ken Hoff, the templates provided for the assessment reports were never used. However, one 2017 email written to the institute’s China director May Sun, includes a thanks for  “submitting the self-assessment by the deadline.”

By 2017, over 3,500 BC kids were enrolled in a program or course run by the organization. 

“This Mandarin language immersion program was instituted with the support of the Confucius Institute,” a 2017 email by Coquitlam superintendent Patricia Gartland claims. 

School District No. 43 maintains that there has been no influence on the part of Chinese officials or authorities in the running or administration of the programs. 

“The School District is in charge of the curriculum offered, supervises what is taught and there has never been an attempt from anyone in China to influence curricular decisions,” said Hoff. 

Further investigation revealed that Chinese language textbooks published by China’s People’s Education Press were being used to teach curriculum.

The textbooks, titled Happy Chinese, included Chinese propaganda messaging such as maps of Taiwan being labelled as a Chinese province and misleading references to Tiananmen Square. 

Those textbooks are currently not in use at the school, according to Hoff. 

Video footage from a 10th anniversary celebration of Coquitlam’s Confucius Institutes also show children chanting CCP propaganda slogans and reciting pro-party poetry. 

One of the poems, written by Wang Huairang, offers praise for the “five-star red flag” and makes reference to the spirit of the Communist revolution.

FUREY: The politicization of the coronavirus

By
True North
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Instead of making decisions that benefit all Canadians, politicians in Canada are basing their public health decisions on the latest polls and on what they think will help them get re-elected.

These are unprecedented times. Does old-style political strategy really matter right now?

True North’s Anthony Furey says Canadian politicians can learn a thing or two from Winston Churchill.

CTV, CHCH display trigger warnings before airings of Seinfeld, The Brady Bunch

By
True North Wire
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Canadian viewers of a couple of classic sitcoms may have seen some content warnings – not of crude language or sexual humour, but rather outdated, “discriminatory practices.”

Photos have emerged on Twitter of what appears to be woke viewer discretion advisories broadcast by Canadian television channels CTV and CHCH. 

CHCH’s advisory was broadcast before an airing of The Brady Bunch, while a similar warning appeared before CTV rerun of Seinfeld.

The two networks are owned by separate companies, but both notices were flagged by viewers on Thanksgiving weekend.

“The following presentation is a product of its time. It depicts prejudices that were wrong then and remain unacceptable today. CHCH does not condone discrimination of any kind,” said the CHCH advisory for The Brady Bunch.

“Rather than ignoring past discriminatory practices, exhibiting work like this allows viewers to engage in thought or discussion that educates and promotes the importance of social justice and inclusivity. Viewer discretion is advised.” 

“This program is presented as originally created. It may contain language, attitudes, cultural depictions and racial prejudices which may cause offence,” claimed the CTV about Seinfeld. 

Neither CHCH nor CTV responded to a request for comment from True North about the nature of the episodes and other shows receiving such warnings.

According to IMDB, both The Brady Bunch and Seinfeld PG ratings.

Other networks and streaming platforms have also provided similar content warnings for historical productions. 

In 2019, the popular Disney+ streaming platform included cultural context disclaimers for several Disney films, including the original 1941 version of Dumbo. 

Taxpayers billed over $110K in legal fees related to Julie Payette harassment claims

By
True North Wire
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Canadians had to pay over $110,000 for legal representation related to handling harassment and toxic workplace allegations levelled against Governor General Julie Payette by members of her staff.

The figure, which was obtained by the CBC, is larger than the original $88,325 external review contract revealed by the Privy Council Office in September. 

Dozens of staffers who have worked in Rideau Hall alongside Payette have come forward with claims that the governor general was involved in bullying, belittling and humiliating her underlings.

Among those contracted by the governor general was former Supreme Court of Canada justice Michel Bastarache. Bastarache was employed by Payette as a “constitutional adviser” ensuring that any review into the claims would respect constitutional protections afforded to the governor general. He received $36,208 for the job according to Rideau Hall.

The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) also hired a law firm to assist with the review to the tune of $74,500.

“This decision was made due to the fact that the OSGG does not have in-house legal counsel, and as with any process, there were some legal and constitutional questions that required addressing, in order to ensure that there would be no conflict of interest for the PCO Legal Services sector,” said Payette’s secretary Ashlee Smith regarding the hiring of contractors. 

On Wednesday, Payette addressed the hirings on Twitter, saying that “legal service contracts are a normal part of such an exercise.” 

“The OSGG has taken these steps given the circumstances of the review that has been undertaken by PCO and given the critical importance of the independence of the institution and has co-operated fully with the review,” wrote Payette. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has publicly stood by the beleaguered governor general, saying that she was “excellent” in the role and that he had no plans on replacing her for someone else. 

“We have an excellent Governor General right now and I think, on top of the COVID crisis, nobody’s looking at any constitutional crises,” Trudeau told a Vancouver radio station in September. 

“We have put in place a process to review some of the working conditions at Rideau Hall, but that’s not something that we’re contemplating right now, going further than that.”

Belinda and Jim Karahalios to form “New Blue Party of Ontario”

By
True North Wire
-

Former Progressive Conservative (PC) MPP Belinda Karahalios and her husband, former Conservative leadership candidate Jim Karahalios are forming a new political party in Ontario.

In a video published Monday, the Karahalioses said that many Ontarians have told them there needs to be a more conservative alternative to the Ford government.

The couple has already taken steps to officially create their new party, with Jim Karahalios saying that Elections Ontario has approved the name “New Blue Party of Ontario.”  

The next step for the couple is to attempt to collect the required 1,000 signatures from Ontarian voters to get the party registered. 

Once registered, the first goal of the party will be to get Belinda Karahalios reelected as MPP for Cambridge in the next provincial election. Jim added that they would be interested in having former PC MPP Randy Hillier join their party as well.

“We’ve heard from people across Ontario who are very disillusioned with the established parties, feel that Doug Ford betrayed them,” Jim Karahalios said.

“We’ve been asked for a solution, and we can tell you that help is on the way.”

In July, Belinda Karahalios was ousted from the PC caucus after she voted against Bill 195, a bill which allowed the Ford government to unilaterally issue emergency orders for the next two years, effectively allowing for perpetual lockdowns without a vote by the legislature.

Despite it being the first time Belinda Karahalios voted against a government bill, she says that the PC Party dissolved her Cambridge riding association and made it clear that she will never be allowed back into the PC caucus.

“It was very clear that they were not going to allow me to run under the PC party banner for the next election,” she said.

In March, Jim Karahalios was disqualified from the Conservative leadership race after his campaign sent out a letter criticizing Walied Soliman, the chair of O’Toole’s campaign.

Despite an Ontario judge overturning the disqualification, the Conservative Party later disqualified him again in May.

In their statement, the Karahalioses claimed both the Ontario PC Party and the Conservative Party of Canada are “corrupt and run by a cabal of insiders.”

Man accused in gruesome murder of Alberta doctor fit to stand trial

By
True North Wire
-

A man accused of brutally murdering an Alberta doctor in his clinic is fit to stand trial according to a court psychiatrist.

Deng Mabiour, originally from South Sudan, has been charged with first-degree murder, assault with a weapon and assault of a police officer in the death of Dr. Walter Reynolds of Red Deer.

Reynolds, 45, was assaulted while working in his clinic on August 10, 2020, dying of his injuries later that day. Mabiour was arrested at the scene. 

“This was not a random attack,” RCMP Supt. Gerald Grobmeier told reporters in August.

“An individual went in with a goal, so it wasn’t a random attack. The individual went into the clinic for that purpose.”

Along with being a devoted husband and father, Reynolds was a prominent local physician and member of Alberta’s South African community.

In August, a judge ordered Mabiour to undergo psychiatric evaluation to ensure he was fit to stand trial. The evaluation had to be extended as Mabiour refused to cooperate.

Mabiour has berated the judge and court officials in previous appearances, decrying Canadian justice system and the “stupid legal-aid lawyer.” Mabiour has refused to get a lawyer.

On Wednesday, Judge Gordon Yake accepted the psychiatrist’s ruling that Mabiour can stand trial.

“Mr. Mabiour at this stage is fit to stand trial,” he said.

“I feel he should have some pretty significant legal advice.”

Mabiour, noticeably calmer on Wednesday, responded by telling Judge Yake that he is still uninterested in finding a lawyer.

“I don’t want a lawyer. I don’t want legal aid,” he said.

“What can a lawyer do for me? A lawyer can’t do anything. I’m better off without a lawyer.”

The case has been adjourned until November 6.

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